To: Dean Baker
"I've seen conversations where those who are "Born Again" (Pardon me if I'm not using the correct term), consider Catholics and other religious people "Bound for Hell" because they don't worship correctly. "The following are my opinions formed as a Baptist who grew up in Lousiana with some close Catholic friends.
I don't think it's very widespread. But there are a few in most communities that are staunchly "anti-Catholic" and there are a greater number who are just uncomfortable with some of the Catholic traditions. Those stauch anti-Catholics include a few small cults whose main teachings seem to be anti-catholic, people who have
I think most Christian scholars who have looked at the issue understand that the Catholic church has a correct understanding of the nature of God and God's plan of salvation. Those two are the critical doctrines that Christian denominations look at to determine if other groups are truly "Christian" or not.
Groups that distort the nature of God or the plan of salvation such as Jehovah's withnesses, Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists are deemed outside of Christianity, whereas Catholicism is considered a part of Christianity.
The traditions that cause some Protestants angst with regard to Catholics include:
- Confession to a priest. The protestant fear is that the Catholic is looking to the priest to pronounce forgiveness and is never actually praying to God. Or is just going through the motions and not repentant towards God. My understanding is that Catholic doctrine actually says if you aren't truly repentant then it doesn't matter what the priest says.
- Praying to Saints. The protestant fear is that the Catholics are actually worshipping saints. A saint is nothing but a Christian who has passed on. My understanding of Catholic doctrinie is that praying to Saints is no different than going to a live Christian and asking for intercessory prayer, something we are instructed to do. But I admit it seems a little hokey since the past saints aren't omnipotent, the only way they are going to hear a prayer is if the Holy Spirit passes it on to them, and then why not just pray direct.
- The Church Hierachy. The problems with any human hierarchy is that there are no checks and balances. A lack of checks an balances caused problems in the Jewish priesthood and it's caused problems in the Catholic church as well.
- Exclusiveness. There are always people who haven't matured enough to realize that you don't have to be right on EVERY doctrine to go to heaven. Therefore they think anyone who dissagrees with them on any doctrine is evil. And that's just not the case. They aren't just anti-catholic, they are anti-all the other denominations. Fortunately, this isn't most Christians.
- If you ask a Catholic why God should let them into heaven, they will usually respond, "I hope I'm good enough". That causes some to think that Catholics are trusting in their own works or goodness, instead of in Jesus' work on the cross. But when you remind them that Jesus paid for our sins on the cross, they agree with you. So it appears to me that they know the right answer but their focus is a little off and the question I think exposes a difference in focus than a true doctrinal difference.
- Mary worship. Similar to fear of saint worship. There are those who think the "Hail Mary" prayer and title "Mother of God" and other traditions is actually worshipping Mary as a Diety. Most Catholics, I know, get angry when you make this accusation and vehemently deny it. But rumors of Mary worship continue to surface especially with third world countries.
176 posted on
04/14/2005 1:06:41 PM PDT by
DannyTN
To: DannyTN
Interesting stuff Danny. Thanks!
And I don't mean to make a comparison with my following question, but...
Didn't the Nazis and the KKK hate Catholics too? I remember a teacher once telling me (IF I remember right), that the reason for the KKK being against the Catholics is because they are ruled by someone (Something) from outside of our country. He was a cool teacher. I think, now, that he was trying to find a way to get me to sympathise with Blacks, since I was Catholic.
But, I still don't know why the Nazis hated Catholics (Hell...to tell the truth, I don't know why they hated the Jews so much!!)? Maybe just because like you said...Some groups just distort the word of God for their own selfish reasons.
?
To: DannyTN
closest analogy i've seen yet with a couple but's...
we DO pray to God after confession as our penance.
and as far as getting into Heaven, well belief in God/Christ is a given but we still hope we are worthy in Gods sight and not just sliding in with a minimum passing grade... not lookin for a gimmie, you try to earn it
284 posted on
04/14/2005 1:53:20 PM PDT by
Chode
(American Hedonist ©®)
To: DannyTN
The Church Hierachy. The problems with any human hierarchy is that there are no checks and balances. A lack of checks an balances caused problems in the Jewish priesthood and it's caused problems in the Catholic church as well. I have seen this argument advance for what is wrong with Islam. With no central authority each imam is can declare a fatwa on any one they wish.
743 posted on
04/15/2005 1:18:39 PM PDT by
TASMANIANRED
(Rule # 4. When liberals have factual evidence that their position is wrong they ignore the evidence)
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